JP5196250B2 - Mounting structure and mounting method for vehicle radiant heating device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for mounting a heating element on a vehicle interior material.

  Conventionally, a heating system that focuses on air temperature using waste heat of a heat engine has been adopted for vehicle heating. On the other hand, in such a heating system, in consideration of the point that it takes time until the waste heat of the heat engine is effectively generated, a radiant heating equipment using a highly responsive heater has been proposed ( Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  However, conventionally, sufficient studies have not been made from the viewpoint of merchantability such as appearance and feel in a method of mounting a heating element on an interior material for a vehicle. Furthermore, such a problem is not limited to the heating element, but is a problem common to the cooling element (for example).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-71182 JP 2007-186025 A

  The present invention has been made to solve at least a part of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for mounting a heat source element on an interior material for a vehicle while suppressing deterioration in appearance. And

Means and effects for solving the problem

[Application Example 1]
Vehicle interior material,
A substrate;
An epidermis attached to the surface of the substrate;
A planar heat source element that is a planar heat source element equipped between the substrate and the skin;
Between the skin and the planar heat source element, covering at least a part of the edge of the planar heat source element, a thin film thinner than any of the skin and the planar heat source element,
A vehicle interior material comprising:

  The vehicle interior material of Application Example 1 covers at least a part of the edge of the planar heat source element between the skin and the planar heat source element, and has a thin film that is thinner than both the skin and the planar heat source element. The level difference of the skin due to the mounting of the element can be reduced. Thereby, the influence on the merchantability (for example, design and touch) of the vehicle interior material due to the mounting of the heat source element can be suppressed, and the merchantability can be enhanced.

[Application Example 2]
The vehicle interior material of Application Example 1,
The thin film has a thickness of 15 μm to 35 μm,
The skin is a vehicle interior material that has a textured surface.

  The vehicle interior material according to the application example 2 uses a thin film having a thickness of 15 μm to 35 μm and is subjected to embossing (unevenness processing) on the skin, so that the step is buried in the unevenness due to embossing. The influence on the external appearance of the interior material can be substantially eliminated.

[Application Example 3]
The vehicle interior material of Application Example 1,
The vehicle interior material, wherein the thin film has a thickness of 20 μm to 30 μm.

  Since the vehicle interior material of Application Example 3 uses a thin film having a thickness of 20 μm to 30 μm, the influence on the appearance (for example, design) and touch (hand) of the vehicle interior material is substantially eliminated. Thus, human perception of the presence of the heat source element can be made virtually impossible.

[Application Example 4]
A vehicle interior material according to application examples 1 to 3,
The thin film is an interior material for a vehicle that is mounted so as to have a predetermined transition region in which a gap is formed between the thin film and a region between the edge and the contact position with the substrate. .

  Since the vehicle interior material according to the application example 4 is mounted so as to have a transition region in which a predetermined gap is formed between the vehicle interior material and the base material, it is possible to give a degree of design freedom with respect to setting the width of the transition region. . Accordingly, there is an advantage that the width of the transition region can be set according to the human visual characteristics, the lighting environment in the vehicle, and other light environments, and for example, the appearance of the interior material can be improved.

[Application Example 5]
The vehicle interior material according to application examples 1 to 4,
The planar heat source element is a vehicle interior material that is a planar heater.

  In addition, this invention is realizable with various methods, such as not only a vehicle interior material but the manufacturing method of a vehicle interior material.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order based on examples.
A. Composition of door interior materials of conventional technology and comparative example:
B. Configuration of the door interior material of the embodiment:
C. Variations:

A. Composition of door interior materials of conventional technology and comparative example:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a door interior material 200 equipped on a vehicle door (rear seat door) of the prior art. The door interior material 200 has a door trim 210, an armrest part 220, a flat heater 110, and a heater skin 120. In addition, in order to make the explanation and drawings easy to understand, in this embodiment, a pocket member attached to the door trim 210 is omitted.

  In FIG. 1, the occupant PS and the seat ST are further indicated by phantom lines in order to show the positional relationship between the door interior material 200 and the occupant PS. As can be seen from this figure, the flat heater 110 is disposed in the vicinity of the thigh of the occupant PS. Since the flat heater 110 can suppress the cold radiation from the door interior material 200 at the time of starting the vehicle, for example, and can raise the temperature of experience, the interior environment can be made comfortable. In addition, the increase in the sensible temperature due to radiation can realize a decrease in the in-vehicle temperature while maintaining the same comfortable environment, so that the load on the air conditioner (not shown) can be reduced.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a door interior material 200 of the prior art. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a part of the door interior material 200 in an enlarged manner. A door trim 210 included in the door interior material 200 is configured by attaching a skin 211 to a base material 212. A flat heater 110 and a heater skin 120 that covers the flat heater 110 are attached to the door trim 210. In the present embodiment, the heater skin 120 is made of the same material as the skin 211 for the purpose of unity with the door trim 210.

  FIG. 4 shows a conceptual diagram of heater mounting in the prior art. In this conceptual diagram, the planar heater 110c and the heater skin 120c in the conceptual diagram correspond to the conventional planar heater 110 and the heater skin 120, respectively. The conceptual door trim 210c corresponds to the door trim 210 of the prior art.

  In this heater mounting method, it can be seen that a step 100s is generated. The step 100s occurs due to the thickness of the flat heater 110c and the heater skin 120c. In this embodiment, the heater skin 120c has a general thickness of 1 mm. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the flat heater 110c has, for example, a temperature adjusting function and uses a thin PTC sheet heating element having a thickness of about 0.1 mm. Accordingly, the step 100s has a height Ts of about 1.1 mm. Note that the thickness of the flat heater 110c is expressed to be larger than the actual thickness in order to make the drawing easy to understand.

  As described above, in this conventional method, since the step 100s is formed around the heater skin 120c, the product is used even though the heater 110c made of the same material as the skin 211 covers the flat heater 110c. It has been found by the inventor that the properties are reduced. The inventor has found that the step difference 100s causes a sense of incongruity of touch and a change in design due to the generation of shadows, and the jointness between the heater skin 120c and the skin 211 occurs, thereby impairing the sense of unity. .

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a door interior material 200a of a comparative example. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing a part of the door interior material 200a of the comparative example. The door interior material 200a of the comparative example has a conventional heater 110 mounted on the outer surface of the skin 211 in that the flat heater 110 is mounted between the base material 212 and the skin 211, and the heater skin 120c is omitted. It is different from the method.

  FIG. 7 shows a conceptual diagram of heater mounting in a comparative example. As can be seen from this conceptual diagram, the step 100sa generated by this mounting method has a height Tsa of about 0.1 mm corresponding to the thickness of the flat heater 110c. Thus, the mounting method of the comparative example eliminates the joint between the heater skin 120c and the skin 211, and the height of the step is about 0.1 mm from the height Ts of about 1.1 mm of the step 100sa (FIG. 4). It can be seen that the height Tsa is greatly reduced, and the change in the design due to the uncomfortable feeling of touch and the generation of shadows is also suppressed.

  FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are explanatory views showing a problem solving method in the development direction of reducing the level difference for improving the merchantability. The configuration of FIG. 8 uses the base material 212ca provided with a recess 213c for storing the flat heater 110c to eliminate the step. However, the present inventor has found a reduction in merchantability due to the gap 213cv generated around the flat heater 110c.

  This reduction in merchantability is due to the fact that the gap 213cv gives a sense of discomfort to the occupant's tactile sensation even when the step is eliminated in appearance. The reason why the air gap 213cv is generated is that it is required to manufacture the concave portion 213c larger than the flat heater 110c from the viewpoint of working accuracy of the concave portion 213c and the flat heater 110c. On the other hand, if these machining accuracy requirements are tightened, manufacturing difficulties (decrease in production efficiency) are encountered. In addition, the phenomenon of partial plate pressure due to the recess 213c was also predicted to reduce the structural strength of the base material 212ca in combination with the stress concentration in the recess 213c.

  In the configuration of FIG. 9, the flat heater 110c is mounted on the back side of the base material 212c, covered with the heat insulating material 111c, and supported by the support plate 112c to completely eliminate the step. However, the present inventor has found two problems. The first problem is that since the base material 212c is included in the electric heating path, quick response of operation and thermal efficiency (increased power consumption) are impaired. The second problem is that the increase in weight caused by the provision of the heat insulating material 111c and the support plate 112c causes a deterioration in fuel consumption of the vehicle (not shown).

  As described above, the improvement of the merchantability in the mounting of the flat heater 110 generally requires trade-off targets such as weight, thermal efficiency (increased power consumption), quick response, and reduced production efficiency.

  However, the present inventor decided to change the general direction of development that the ordinary person skilled in the art would proceed, and change the way of thinking, so that the feeling of discomfort and shadow of the touch can be avoided without the object of trade-off. They succeeded in eliminating the outbreak almost completely.

B. Configuration of the door interior material of the embodiment:
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the door interior material 200x of the example. FIG. 11 is an enlarged view showing a part of the door interior material 200x of the embodiment in an enlarged manner. The door interior material 200x of the embodiment is common to the comparative example in that the flat heater 110 is mounted between the base material 212 and the skin 211. However, the present embodiment is different from the comparative example in that a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film 130 is inserted between the flat heater 110 and the skin 211 so as to cover the entire circumference of the flat heater 110.

  The PET film 130 is a film that is also used for laminating and the like, and has a thickness of 25 μm in this embodiment. In the experiments of the present inventor, if the thickness is 20 μm to 30 μm, the influence on the appearance and touch of the door interior material 200x is substantially eliminated, and the human perception of the presence of the flat heater 110 is virtually impossible. It was confirmed that it can be.

  Furthermore, even if the thickness of the PET film 130 is increased to 15 μm to 35 μm, if the surface of the skin 211 is subjected to the texture processing (unevenness processing), the surface of the flat heater 110 It was confirmed that the merchantability can be improved to the extent that human beings cannot perceive existence. The embossing process is a process of transferring an uneven pattern such as “leather pattern”, “geometric pattern”, “rock pattern”, and “grain pattern” to the surface of the skin 211.

  FIG. 12 shows a conceptual diagram of heater mounting in the embodiment. As can be seen from this conceptual diagram, the step 100sx generated by this mounting method has a height of 25 μm in addition to a height of about 0.1 mm corresponding to the thickness of the flat heater 110c. Thus, the mounting method of the embodiment is changed in a direction in which the height of the step 100sx is higher than that of the comparative example.

  However, the present inventor can virtually eliminate the discomfort of the touch and the design change due to the generation of shadows by changing the cross-sectional shape of the step 100sx and the flow of load while increasing the height Tsx of the step 100sx. I found.

  It can be seen that the cross-sectional shape of the step 100 sx is changed to a gentler shape (without a steep step) than the comparative example, depending on the bending rigidity of the PET film 130 and the width Lt of the transition region. On the other hand, the width Lt of the transition region tends to increase as the bending rigidity of the PET film 130 increases, so that the cross-sectional shape greatly depends on the bending rigidity of the PET film 130. The transition region is a region from the edge portion P1 of the flat heater 110 to the contact position P2 to the base material 212, and is a region where a gap 130v is formed. Furthermore, it can be seen that the skin 211 is rounded at the edge P <b> 1 of the flat heater 110 due to the bending rigidity of the PET film 130.

  As described above, in the embodiment, since the cross-sectional shape of the step 100sx is gently configured, for example, even if the hand is slid at the step 100sx, a sudden change is not felt.

  Furthermore, the roundness at the edge P1 of the flat heater 110 makes it extremely difficult to recognize shadows physiologically by human vision. Such roundness takes advantage of the fact that MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) for visual luminance contrast perception is a band-pass type, and the spatial frequency band of luminance change at the edge P1 is a region where the perceptual sensitivity is low. This makes it difficult to recognize visually. On the other hand, in the mounting methods of the conventional example and the comparative example, a phenomenon (Mach band phenomenon) in which the contrast of the shadow generated at a steep step is emphasized and recognized occurs, which greatly affects the appearance. .

  On the other hand, the load flow at the step 100 sx is changed by the bending rigidity of the PET film 130. For example, assuming that a finger (not shown) is pressed against the skin 211 at the edge P1 (FIG. 12) of the flat heater 110, the flat heater 110 generates a reaction force on the side where the flat heater 110 exists. In addition, since a load flows from the PET film 130 to the flat heater 110 even in the gap 130v on the side where the flat heater 110 does not exist, a rapid change in the drag force against a change in the load position is reduced.

  FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a concept of heater mounting in the embodiment. The PET film 130c has a shape that covers the vicinity (20 mm to 30 mm) of the outer periphery of the flat heater 110c. It can be seen that by using such a PET film 130c, it is possible to execute a process for improving the merchantability for the entire outer periphery of the flat heater 110c.

  As described above, the heater mounting method in the embodiment is to change the step shape and the flow of the load by inserting the PET film 130, which is a change that dares to raise the step causing the merchantability. Thus, it has succeeded in mounting the flat heater 110 while maintaining the commerciality based on the viewpoint of human perceptual characteristics.

C. Variations:
As mentioned above, although several embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to such embodiment at all, and implementation in various aspects is possible within the range which does not deviate from the summary. is there. In particular, elements other than the elements described in the independent claims in the constituent elements in each of the embodiments described above can be omitted as appropriate because they are additional elements. Furthermore, elements described in the independent claims can be appropriately replaced with elements not described in the independent claims within the scope disclosed in the present specification.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, not all of the above-described advantages and effects lead to the essential constituent elements of the present invention, and the present invention has a degree of freedom in design that can easily realize each of the above-described advantages and effects. As long as it achieves at least one advantage or effect.

C-1. First Modification: In the above-described embodiment, a PET film having a shape covering the vicinity of the outer periphery of the flat heater is used. For example, four films 130ca1 having a width of about 50 mm as shown in FIG. You may make it cover by covering 130ca2, 130ca3, and 130ca4. Furthermore, as long as it is configured to cover the vicinity of the outer periphery of the flat heater, a film having a hole in the center may be used.

  In addition, in the above-mentioned Example and modification, although PET film is used, a PEN film and other synthetic resin films can be used, for example. Furthermore, if the thin film of the present invention is inserted between the skin and the flat heater and is thinner than both the skin and the flat heater, the step generated by the thin film itself can be made smaller than the step generated by the flat heater, It has also been confirmed that merchantability can be improved by suppressing human perception of steps.

  As described above, the thin film of the present invention generally covers at least a portion of the edge of the flat heater between the skin and the flat heater, and is thinner than both the flat skin and the flat heater. If it is good.

C-2. Second Modification: In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the flat heater is covered with a thin film without providing a concave portion for storing the flat heater on the base material. For example, as shown in FIG. You may make it use PET film 130 with respect to the door interior material 200b which stores a flat heater in the base material which has. Although this configuration causes the above-described problem of reduction in the structural strength of the base material, it has an advantage that the step can be reduced not only in terms of human perception but also physically.

C-3. Third Modification: In the above-described embodiments and modifications, a heater is used. However, for example, a Peltier element that can be used as a heat source or a cooling element according to the direction of current may be used. As described above, the present invention can be widely applied to mounting of a planar heat source element. For example, the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which interior materials inside a vehicle are cooled during parking with a solar battery or the like.

Explanatory drawing which shows the door interior material with which the door for vehicles of the prior art was equipped. Sectional drawing which shows the door interior material of a prior art. The enlarged view which expands and shows a part of door interior material. Explanatory drawing which shows the concept of the heater mounting | wearing in a prior art. Sectional drawing which shows the door interior material of a comparative example. The enlarged view which expands and shows a part of door interior material of a comparative example. Explanatory drawing which shows the conceptual diagram of the heater mounting | wearing in a comparative example. Sectional drawing which shows the base material provided with the recessed part which accommodates a plane heater. Explanatory drawing which shows the structure which mounts a flat heater on the back side of a base material. Sectional drawing which shows the door interior material of an Example. The enlarged view which expands and shows a part of door interior material of an Example. Explanatory drawing which shows the conceptual diagram of the heater mounting | wearing in an Example. The perspective view showing the concept of heater mounting | wearing in an Example. Explanatory drawing which shows the film of a 1st modification. Explanatory drawing which shows the mounting state of a 2nd modification.

Explanation of symbols

100s, 100sa, 100sx ... step 110, 110c ... planar heater 111c ... heat insulating material 112c ... support plate 120,120c ... heater skin 130 ... film 130v ... gap 200, 200a, 200b, 200x ... door interior material 210, 210c ... door trim 211 ... skin 212, 212c, 212ca ... base material 213 ... recess 213v ... gap 220 ... armrest part PS ... occupant ST ... seat

Claims (6)

Vehicle interior material,
A substrate;
An epidermis attached to the surface of the substrate;
A planar heat source element that is a planar heat source element equipped between the substrate and the skin;
Between the skin and the planar heat source element, covering at least a part of the edge of the planar heat source element, a thin film thinner than any of the skin and the planar heat source element,
A vehicle interior material comprising: The vehicle interior material according to claim 1,
The thin film has a thickness of 15 μm to 35 μm,
The skin is a vehicle interior material that has a textured surface. The vehicle interior material according to claim 1,
The vehicle interior material, wherein the thin film has a thickness of 20 μm to 30 μm. The vehicle interior material according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The thin film is an interior material for a vehicle that is mounted so as to have a predetermined transition region in which a gap is formed between the thin film and a region between the edge and the contact position with the substrate. . The vehicle interior material according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The planar heat source element is a vehicle interior material that is a planar heater. A method of manufacturing a vehicle interior material,
Preparing a base material, a skin, a planar heat source element that is a planar heat source element, and a thin film thinner than any of the skin and the planar heat source element;
Attaching the planar heat source element to the surface of the substrate;
Covering the thin film across at least a portion of the edge of the planar heat source element;
Attaching the epidermis to the coated substrate while the planar heat source element is attached;
A manufacturing method comprising:

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